Filter assembly for a vacuum cleaning appliance

Abstract

A vacuum cleaning appliance includes a filter housing having at least one air inlet for receiving an air flow, a filter assembly removably locatable within the filter housing for removing dirt from the air flow, and a duct for receiving the air flow exhausted from the filter assembly. The filter assembly includes a filter body, a filter mounted on the filter body, and a spring-loaded coupling member moveable relative to the filter body for engaging the duct. The coupling member includes an air outlet through which the air flow is exhausted from the filter assembly. A convoluted sealing member forms a seal between the filter body and the coupling member while allowing relative movement therebetween as the coupling member engages the duct.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A filter assembly for a vacuum cleaning appliance, the filter assembly comprising:
 a filter body; 
 a filter mounted on the filter body; 
 a biased coupling member moveable relative to the filter body for coupling the filter assembly to a duct of the vacuum cleaning appliance for receiving an air flow exhausted from the filter assembly, the coupling member comprising an air outlet through which the air flow is exhausted from the filter assembly to an inlet of the duct for receiving the air flow exhausted from the filter assembly; and 
 a sealing member for forming a seal between the filter body and the coupling member. 
 
     
     
       2. The filter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing member is in the form of a convoluted sealing member. 
     
     
       3. The filter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing member comprises an annular sealing element for engaging a filter housing of the vacuum cleaning appliance. 
     
     
       4. The filter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling member comprises a concave surface for engaging the duct of the vacuum cleaning appliance. 
     
     
       5. The filter assembly of  claim 1 , comprising a resilient element located between the filter body and the coupling member for urging the coupling member away from the filter body. 
     
     
       6. The filter assembly of  claim 5 , wherein each of the filter body and the coupling member comprises a central hub, and the resilient element is located between the hubs to urge the coupling member away from the filter body. 
     
     
       7. The filter assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the air outlet extends about the hub of the coupling member. 
     
     
       8. The filter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the filter body comprises a frame, and wherein the filter extends about the frame. 
     
     
       9. The filter assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the filter is in the form of a sleeve extending about the frame of the filter body. 
     
     
       10. The filter assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the filter is connected at one end thereof to the filter body. 
     
     
       11. The filter assembly of  claim 10 , comprising an end cap for closing the other end of the filter. 
     
     
       12. A vacuum cleaning appliance comprising:
 a filter housing having at least one air inlet for receiving an air flow; 
 a filter assembly removably locatable within the filter housing for removing dirt from the air flow; and 
 a duct having an inlet for receiving the air flow exhausted from the filter assembly; 
 wherein the filter assembly comprises a filter body, a filter mounted on the filter body, a biased coupling member moveable relative to the filter body for engaging the duct, the coupling member comprising an air outlet through which the air flow is exhausted from the filter assembly to the inlet of the duct, and a sealing member for forming a seal between the filter body and the coupling member. 
 
     
     
       13. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the filter housing comprises an annular seat for supporting the filter body of the filter assembly. 
     
     
       14. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the duct is moveable relative to the housing to allow the filter assembly to be removed from the filter housing. 
     
     
       15. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 12 , comprising cyclonic separating apparatus for separating dirt from the air flow upstream of the filter assembly, and wherein the filter housing is located in the separating apparatus. 
     
     
       16. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the separating apparatus comprises a plurality of cyclones, and wherein the filter housing comprises a plurality of inlets each for receiving a portion of the air flow from a respective one of the cyclones. 
     
     
       17. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the cyclones surround the filter housing. 
     
     
       18. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the filter housing comprises an opening located in an upper surface of the separating apparatus for receiving the filter assembly. 
     
     
       19. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the duct is moveable relative to the separating apparatus to allow the separating apparatus to be removed from the appliance. 
     
     
       20. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the sealing member is in the form of a convoluted sealing member. 
     
     
       21. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the sealing member comprises an annular sealing element for engaging a filter housing of the vacuum cleaning appliance. 
     
     
       22. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the coupling member comprises a concave surface for engaging the duct of the vacuum cleaning appliance. 
     
     
       23. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 12 , comprising a resilient element located between the filter body and the coupling member for urging the coupling member away from the filter body. 
     
     
       24. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 23 , wherein each of the filter body and the coupling member comprises a central hub, and the resilient element is located between the hubs to urge the coupling member away from the filter body. 
     
     
       25. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 24 , wherein the air outlet extends about the hub of the coupling member. 
     
     
       26. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the filter body comprises a frame, and wherein the filter extends about the frame. 
     
     
       27. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 26 , wherein the filter is in the form of a sleeve extending about the frame of the filter body. 
     
     
       28. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 26 , wherein the filter is connected at one end thereof to the filter body. 
     
     
       29. The vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 28 , comprising an end cap for closing the other end of the filter.